Michael Brissenden presents AM Monday to Friday from 8:00am on ABC Local Radio and 7:10am on Radio National. Join Elizabeth Jackson for the Saturday edition at 8am on Local Radio and 7am on Radio National.

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Tuesday 3 January 2006

AM is Australia's most informative morning current affairs. It covers the stories each morning that the other current affairs teams follow for the rest of the day. Below is the program summary with links to transcripts and audio (if available).

FTA drug safeguard could be scrapped

One of the most hard fought provisions in Australia's Free Trade Agreement with the United States was over conditions which affect the cost of prescription drugs. Australia's deal with the US is up for review in March, and there's pressure from the big American pharmaceutical companies for some changes to be made. They want to dump what's called an evergreening amendment. Evergreening relates to drug companies regularly extending patents on medicines in order to prevent cheaper generic brands entering the Australian market. It was a measure the Trade Minister never agreed was necessary, and he's been telling AM it could now be revisited.

Abortion increases mental health risk: study

New research out today suggests that having an abortion can increase the likelihood of young women later developing some sort of mental health problem. The research team, based at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Christchurch, New Zealand, undertook the study as part of a range of long-term studies of 500 young Kiwis from their birth in 1977.

Skydiving flight crashes into dam

A pall has descended on the national skydiving championships, which start tomorrow in south-east Queensland. Five people on a skydiving training flight were killed yesterday, not far from the competition venue. The Cessna 206 in which they were travelling lost power just after take-off; it clipped a tree, and then came down in a small farm dam. It's the latest in a series of recent skydiving-related accidents which have claimed several lives.

Cotton growers look north for water resources

In the Murray Darling Basin, farmers face an ongoing cap on how much water they can take out of the river system. Some of the biggest water users are cotton growers, and with water resources dwindling they're looking further north and to its rivers. However, conservationists are concerned the mistakes of past irrigation practices in the Murray Darling Basin will be repeated in some of northern Australia's most pristine tropical river systems.

Palestinian police protest against lawlessness

The violence and mayhem in the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip is worsening. Police briefly occupied a Government building in the southern town of Rafah to protest against ongoing lawlessness after one of their officers was killed by members of a well-known crime gang. They say their hands are tied because their superiors won't let them go after the culprits. And the Chief of Police in Rafah has told AM he believes his commanders and their political masters are scared of the criminals.

Israel launches Gaza air strike

The Israeli military is worried about the state of affairs in Gaza, and the bands of young militants who are intent on firing homemade rockets across the border. A short time ago, Israel launched an air strike.

Gas dispute threatens European supply

A dispute between Russia and Ukraine over the supply of natural gas is spilling over to European customers and threatening their supply. The row began when Russia demanded a big hike in gas prices. Negotiations with Ukraine broke down and its supply was cut off. Now Russia is accusing Ukraine of siphoning off tens of millions of dollars worth of gas from a pipeline which crosses its territory and carries gas to Western customers.

US concerned over Russian gas dispute

Martina Hingis begins comeback

She was the tennis world's youngest ever number one – a Wimbledon champion who went from strength to strength. But Martina Hingis gave it all away three years ago, plagued by injury and, if you believe the critics, self doubt. She vowed never to return, but, as they say, never say never. Hingis is trying to restart her career in Australia. It's been a happy hunting ground in the past, giving her three of her five grand slam singles titles. Yesterday the 25-year-old returned to the game on the Gold Coast.